YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – City Council will consider ordinances Wednesday to accept a $100,000 grant from the Youngstown Foundation and to transfer those funds to Economic Action Group, which is working with the city on a recovery plan for downtown.

The Youngstown Foundation grant would go toward implementing the downtown recovery plan that the city is developing in partnership with EAG, a local organization that assists the city with economic and community development.

“A lot of times when it comes to planning activities, the problem we see is that [plans] sit on shelves,” said Nick Chretien, EAG’s executive director. “This funding commitment from the Youngstown Foundation goes to show that that will not happen with this activity.”

One ordinance authorizes the city to accept the grant, which would be “used for continued efforts of the city to support downtown Youngstown business recovery.” The other authorizes making the payment to EAG, a local organization that assists the city with economic and community development, to act as the fiscal agent to support downtown recovery efforts.

The funds would match funding from JobsOhio and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Foundation, as well as some American Rescue Plan funds, said Stephanie Gilchrist, city economic development director.

Lake to River Economic Development, the local four-county JobsOhio partner, secured $50,000 for planning from JobsOhio following the May 28, 2024, natural gas explosion at the Realty Tower that left nearby downtown buildings closed for several weeks and, in some cases, months and resulted in the demolition of the Realty Tower. The Regional Chamber Foundation provided a $50,000 match to those funds. 

Gilchrist and Chretien said the plan for downtown is still being developed to provide assistance in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the explosion at Realty Tower. Initial items that have been discussed include signage, wayfinding materials, parking assistance, potential lighting, placemaking, art and marketing materials such as maps, Chretien said.

“We expect the short-term strategy to be complete in March,” he said.